No surprise: Ha'sean Clinton-Dix commits to Alabama

Dr. Phillips safety Ha'sean Clinton-Dix committed to Alabama this weekend, a school which the 6-foot-2, 210-pound prospect has had at the top of his list since 'Bama coach Nick Saban showed up at the Orlando high school's campus in February.

"It was a school that caught my attention far more than anyone," Clinton-Dix said. "I didn't think it could get any better than Nick Saban."

Clinton-Dix, the No. 1-ranked safety in the nation by Scout.com and the No. 18-ranked player overall, was in Tuscaloosa this weekend for the A-Day spring game events.

"[Assistant] coach [Derrick] Crudup recruited me, and we were in contact two times a week, keeping me updated on everything. ... After this year, they're going to need a safety, so I just called it right on time to become a Crimson Tide."

Florida State fans had held out hope that Clinton-Dix might still be a possibility to the Seminoles 2011 recruiting class, but he was sold on the Alabama program, especially after two visits in March, after which he said, "Bama, they ain't going nowhere."

Another reason Clinton-Dix thought Alabama was the place for him was because of a need he figures Alabama will have at safety in the near future. It will depend on how much his body fills out once he gets to Alabama if he remains a safety, and some people already have him pegged as moving to linebacker.

For now, however, the man they call HaHa will be looking to give the Crimson Tide a lift in the defensive backfield, especially since on the depth chart right now there are only three safeties on the two-deep in starters Mark Barron, a junior, and sophomore Robert Lester and then sophomore Rod Woodson is the back-up for both players.

But before turning his focus toward Tuscaloosa, Clinton-Dix will turn to the task of recruiter and his main target is best friend Demetrius Hart, a 5-9, 180-pound running back and Dr. Phillips teammate.

"Oh yeah, definitely, got to .. have to," Clinton-Dix said of Hart. He also said he'd like to get a few more players to commit to the Tide and added that Alabama officials have given him a couple of targets.

Hart's visit to Alabama last month with Clinton-Dix pulled the Crimson Tide even with his earlier front-runner Auburn and he now says there isn't a clear-cut favorite, yet he could be leaning Alabama as well.

Hart was in Michigan for a visit this weekend at he talked to his best friend prior to boarding a plane back to Orlando on Sunday night. Hart told Clinton-Dix he would rate his trip to Michigan as a 9 on a scale of 10. That's the same thing he said about Alabama.

Clinton-Dix also would like to bring aboard friend and Edgewater WR Kevin Gunning, who accompanied Clinton-Dix and his mother to Tuscaloosa on Saturday. Clinton-Dix was amused by his mother's reaction to the campus tour and meeting the coaches.

"Before I went on my trips earlier, she kept saying, 'Now ask a lot of questions,' and I kept telling her, 'Mom, I don't have to, because they pretty much just tell me everything I want to know," he said. "But then when she got up there and was on the tour I said, 'Mom, aren't you going to ask any questions?' and she was like, 'Nah, I already heard everything."